


The Sound of Wings and Snow

by Kuugenthefox



Category: Senki Zesshou Symphogear
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-21
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2018-09-10 19:58:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 21,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8936947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kuugenthefox/pseuds/Kuugenthefox
Summary: Tsubasa is graduating from high school and going on a trip to celebrate. The only one to accompany her is Chris.But there is something about Chris that only Hibiki and Miku seem to see.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the result of the patron suggestions for December 2016.  
> It can be considered complete unless further suggestions on patreon make a chapter 2 happen.

“A trip?!” Hibiki was **very** excited for a moment but Miku pulled her back to reality with just a stern look. “Haha… ha… I wish I could go but I have remedial lessons and make-up exams for the next two weeks.”

The four of them, Hibiki, Tsubasa, Miku and Chris, were sitting and standing outside, on one of the many wooden benches that filled the school grounds.

Tsubasa smiled a little because this was not at all surprising for her. “I suppose I will go on my own then. It would be a shame to let the opportunity go to waste. But I have to say, I expected this of you, Tachibana.”

“Aren't you forgetting someone?” Chris raised her voice in mild annoyance. “What about me? You're not gonna invite me?”

“I automatically assumed you would not want to spend a week alone with me.” Tsubasa was pretty sure that Yukine would be bored if she came along. She hadn't made concrete plans yet, but she was pretty much going to be visiting famous symphonies and operas. _I still have a long way to go as an artist. Learning from the best will surely make me understand a thing or two_.

“I didn't flunk any of my tests, unlike that idiot over there. If you leave me here with just those two, I am not responsible for what happens.” Chris couldn't stand how obviously lovey-dovey the idiot and her owner were always acting. Not that she minded that they did so at all, but being so in public really didn't sit well with her.

Tachibana's complaint remained unheard when Tsubasa changed her mind. “You're welcome to tag along if you want. I expect it won't be very interesting for you, though.”

“I'm coming with you so you don't bore yourself to death.” Chris's right eye twitched when she saw Hibiki show her the _victory_ sign behind Tsubasa's back. _One day I will teach her about respect. And that idiot **still** doesn't call me senpai!_

“I was planning to visit the Orchestras in Vienna, London, Berlin as well as the royal Concertgebouw-” Tsubasa was cut short by Chris.

“That's all classical music! You're a **pop** artist! Not that I'm much of a fan or anything. But you should get out and live a little. Or a lot, if going to orchestras is what you think you should be doing on a graduation trip!”

“Huh, really? But I saw the special limited edition of her last single the last time I was over at your place, and you had to get in line at like three in the morning to get it, and-” Hibiki's careless mouth was sealed shut by Miku's left hand.

“Well, Yukine, thank you for your support,” Tsubasa said with a smile. She thought that it was a funny reaction for her to show. But seeing Yukine's embarrassed face, she thought otherwise. _I suppose I still need to work on my ability to make jokes._

“Who the hell cares about some CD I have!” Blushing quite thoroughly, Chris had kept her fascination with Tsubasa's music a secret for so long. Or at least she thought she did. “You're just gonna die of boredom and it'll be like work, work, work if I let you go alone so I'm coming with you. And we're changing the target!”

“This is **my** graduation trip. Might I remind you that you're in no position to make demands of me?” Tsubasa couldn't even imagine where Yukine wanted to go. “But just for future reference, what do you have in mind?”

“India. Agra. They have the Taj Mahal there and the best spicy food on the planet. Spicy food makes you feel alive like nothing else!”

“If you want to just eat Indian food, I am sure there's a local restaurant that-” Tsubasa was cut short.

“No, what the hell are you talking about? The local stuff is for wimps. It's all watered down for the typical Japanese palate. **Real** Indian food is nothing like that!”

“You're really passionate about this, aren't you? Now I am curious what exactly it tastes like.” Tsubasa was already thinking of curry now.

“And don't you think their only good food is curry. Sure, that's their staple like Japan's staple is rice balls, but they got a lot more good stuff.” Chris didn't even notice that she was alone with Tsubasa until she wanted to take a jab at the idiot. “Where did they go?”

“I get it, I get it. India, is it? I suppose going to see the Taj Mahal might actually be interesting. It is one of the most famous buildings in the world. I just hope that we, with our luck, don't run in some kind of dormant relic that is activated by our presence.”

“If we do, you jinxed it.”

“When will you finally stop calling me _you_ or calling Tachibana _idiot_?” _Although Tachibana can be a bit of an idiot, I suppose._

“The moment you start calling me by my first name.”

“It is a form of respect to call people by their surname, while it is just rude to address everyone with _you_ or derogatory terms like idiot.”

“Yes, yes, so sue me.” Chris was not about to pretend to be the bigger person or something like that. That was just something adults told themselves to give in to peer pressure. And then it clicked. “You call **me** Yukine, so you respect me?”

“You're a valuable and dependable ally in battle and my friend. Why would I not respect you?” Tsubasa saw absolutely no reason. “And don't think for a second that I forgot that time when you called me senpai.”

Chris blushed furiously “Forget that already!” She had mostly bad memories of the moments before they got rid of Solomon's cane. But it had been particularly embarrassing to cry out for help from Tsubasa.

“In any case, you're welcome to join me. We're leaving in three days.”

“Wait a damn second! You didn't actually confirm we're stopping in India first!”

“Take this as my confirmation then. I will accompany you in India. In exchange, you will accompany me to the orchestra.”

“Don't I need real fancy formal clothes for that?” Chris was not sure her wardrobe was up to par for that. She had some fancy clothes but they were still pretty casual, all things considered.

“I am sure someone as beautiful as you will easily find something to wear. You have three days, too. I suggest a black dress, one that isn't revealing.” Tsubasa knew what proper attire for the orchestra looked like from magazines and such. She hadn't been to foreign orchestras herself, but it was a fairly universal standard, Japan, Europe or even America. “If you need to, I can send Ogawa to help you-”

“You might be comfortable letting that guy clean up your room and shit, but if you don't trust me to pick out something myself you hafta come with me yourself.”

“Just trying to be considerate.” Tsubasa took out her phone. “I will inform Ogawa that you're coming with me where we are going. We have one week. Considering travel time, we can spend about two days in Agra. After that, we will have some free time to go sightseeing in Berlin and Vienna. With this reduced schedule, we won't be able to make it to London or the Royal Concertgebouw.”

“So you'll handle the planning?”

“Ogawa will. I still have a little recording work to do before we leave. I'll give you my number in case you need anything.”

“Are you for real? I had your number for months now. Don't treat me like I'm some random acquaintance.” Chris got off the bench and faced Tsubasa. Or tried to; she was a little too short to look her right in the eye. “I'll have my bags ready in three days. Just make sure to pick me up on time.” Chris turned and walked away. “Your world is gonna change in three days!”

“Why exactly am I the one to pick her up?” Tsubasa found it a little difficult to deal with Yukine. Her standoffish nature made her a pain sometimes. But still, she was secretly glad that Tachibana couldn't go. She was so high-strung that she was nice to have around for training and fighting but for a vacation, especially the orchestra, she would not really fit in. But no matter how brash and brazen Yukine could be, Tsubasa trusted in her ability to appreciate the fine arts if she was exposed to them. “I hope I will actually be able to eat that food. She made it sound delicious, but if it is as spicy as Yukine said it is, it might be difficult for me to eat.”

=== The Sound of Wings and Snow ===

Chris was completely beat and glad that she was all alone in her apartment, with no one to bother her. She had gone from shop to shop all day, looking for a nice black dress. After getting a text from Tsubasa, she also had to look for new shoes. Those had been easy. Classy 14,000 yen high heels in black. She had so much experience wearing both heels and platform shoes that these new ones were not giving her any trouble. Or at least that was how it was supposed to have gone. “Maybe 14 centimeters is a little much after all. But I don't want to look like the stupidly tiny Japanese tourist over there. I'm half-American so why am I so short?!”

Her ankles hurt. Compared to her usual platform shoes, the new ones were pretty high angled but at least she would be just as tall as Tsubasa with them. No more looking like a tiny side kick. “Even our idiot is taller than me. There's no justice in the world, even if you leave out adults.”

Her phone vibrated just then, receiving a text. Chris ignored it, and shortly thereafter, a second, third and fourth text arrived, until the phone vibrated off the nightstand. Rolling over and reached for the phone on the floor, Chris adamantly refused to get off the bed, even if reaching the phone this way was ten times the effort. Finally reaching it, halfway off the bed and her arm stretched so much it hurt a little, Chris was proud of herself. Checking her texts, there were a bunch of the idiot and her wife. “Have fun on the trip… bring me back a souvenir… keep Tsubasa safe… _**confess your feelings**_?!”

Chris nearly threw her phone against the wall in surprise and anger. “The heck does she think she's saying? Feelings? What feelings? For who? **Her?** The sword maniac? Are they kidding? Sure, she's tall, beautiful, strong, capable and probably rich as hell, but what the fuck, that doesn't mean I feel that way about her. Why do they even assume I like girls?” Ranting by herself, Chris threw, gently but still threw, the phone to the foot end of the bed.

_It's been so long since I escaped trafficking… I'm long over that… and Fine… well, Fine was totally bonkers, so I know that's not how normal people are when they're together. I'm not some weakling that gets hung up on all the shit that happened to me forever. But where do they get off, telling me to confess some feelings I don't have? All their lovey-dovey antics are messing with their heads!_

Turning over, Chris hugged herself out of habit. Fine had her way with her quite a number of times and if that had taught Chris anything then that all sadists could go and burn in hell. She'd see them off personally. The times before that were so long ago now that the issues from then were covered, buried, by other issues. And although being with Hibiki and everyone else had made her overcome so much, she still didn't really trust herself with opening up to someone in that way.

 _Just gonna nap for like thirty minutes. I still need to check what still fits and what doesn't and sort it out. I should probably pick up another bra or two. The old ones are getting a little tight._ Chris didn't really see herself as fortunate with her low height and large breasts. Her shoulders always hurt and every time they started hurting, she also remembered how Fine would just use electroshock therapy to _cure_ her back and shoulder pain.

Dozing off, Chris thought she woke up just moments later. It had already been dark outside, so she couldn't tell how much later it was. But after checking her cellphone for the time, Chris realized she had been asleep for four hours. _I guess I'll try on clothes tomorrow._ Throwing the phone under her pillow, Chris was glad she had already changed to a comfortable sweater and pajama pants earlier. Taking off her top and throwing it on the ground, she immediately went back to sleep.

=== The Sound of Wings and Snow ===

Chris didn't want to go to another clothing store for the remainder of the year. Or maybe an entire year, she couldn't decide. Getting up at 6, spending four hours sorting out clothes and finding that a good third of her bras were too tight and some of her tops just didn't meet her taste anymore, she took a speedy shower and went clothing shopping. And returned with a lot of loot but no black dress. She only had one more day and she still needed to pack and get some practice with walking with her new shoes.

She was eating dinner alone, microwave pizza with extra, extra, extra pepperoni and extra tabasco sauce. Spicy food was just something she really enjoyed, alone or in company. Pizza, pasta, curry, just to name a few of her favorites. Her phone rang, placed next to her pizza, and Chris didn't even bother to finish eating before she answered. “Yeah?”

There was a moment of silence on the other end. “Are you… eating?” Tsubasa was on the other end of the line.

“Sure am.” Chris didn't hold back and bit off another piece of the next slice. Her table manners left something to be desired, but she didn't care about that.

“I called to tell you that I am sending someone to pick you up tomorrow at four.” Tsubasa thought it was good etiquette to let her know in advance. She also didn't want her to think that she could drag her feet with packing. In any case, she set the time for about an hour early, expecting some kind of delay to happen for sure.

“You're not gonna pick me up yourself?” Chris still talked with her mouth full. Sitting on the chair with just shorts and a loose shirt, she put her right foot on the chair, right in front of her butt, and took a closer look at her toes. _Maybe I need to cut my nails_.

“I can drive a motorcycle but I have no license for a car. And obviously we can't transport your luggage with my motorcycle.”

“You should still come pick me up. Just because we're on a trip. Makes a nice start, right? I mean we both run and jump around like superheroes in our Symphogear but I kinda wanna feel what it's like riding on a motorcycle.”

There was a moment of silence. “Do you have a helmet?”

“Nope.” Another bite and the slice was gone.

A soft sigh from Tsubasa. “Okay. I will come and pick you up. I still need to have Ogawa drive the van over there to pick up your bags.”

“Great. I'll see you tomorrow.” Chris was about to hang up when she heard Tsubasa say something other than _Okay, bye_. “What?”

“I said, do you have a dress yet?”

Chris paused. “No. It's bloody hard to find something not revealing and black that fits me.”

 _I wish I had your problems, Yukine_. Tsubasa didn't mind her height much, but after partnering with Kanade, then temporarily partnering as a songstress with Maria, and also with Tachibana, she was a little jealous that everyone around her was a little more gifted in the chest department. But she told herself that it was fine. They would just get terribly in the way with her fighting style. _A sword doesn't need to be overly feminine. I am fine like this. I'm fine. Just fine_.

“If you can't find one tomorrow, we need to go and try to find one in Vienna.”

“At least I found some nice shoes and other stuff. Going clothing shopping was overdue for a while.”

“We're lucky that the school year overseas runs differently than it does here. Around this time of year, they are preparing for final exams which are in June.”

“Why're you telling me that?” _I definitely need to clip my nails. It'll be so bad if my toes start to hurt when I sit in that super fancy concert room or whatever and there's another hour of orchestra to go through._

“No particular reason. You originally lived overseas so I thought it would be interesting for you to know that most nations start their school year after summer vacation in August or September.” Tsubasa really didn't know why she told her that. It was such a random piece of trivia.

“Didn't expect you to care about foreign stuff. Speaking of which, do **you** speak whatever the heck they speak in Vienna or Berlin? You said Europe, but that's a big damn place.” Chris felt a bit stupid for not even looking that up. She mostly cared about India and the time there, but she was so caught up on finding a dress because… because, why? _I don't want to look stupid or like a pleb next to Tsubasa, that's why. I even bought shoes to be as tall as she is, even tho they're not really all that high-society stuff but so bite me._

“Vienna is the capital of Austria. It's a pretty small country in central Europe. Berlin is Germany's capital, which is just something like 700 kilometers away from Vienna. I planned to go to Amsterdam after Berlin, which is another 700 kilometers from Berlin but west, not south, where Vienna is. And from there, to London, just across the channel, barely an hour by airplane. But with our stop in Arga, we'll lose a lot of time so we will fly from Berlin back to Tokyo. I hope you have something to keep you busy on our flight, it'll be a long one.”

“Define long.”

“We are lucky and there is a non-stop flight to New Delhi from where we will go by car. The flight will be around seven hours flight time, plus check in, and so forth, so probably close to nine hours. The car ride is another 2 hours without heavy traffic. From New Delhi to Vienna is another 8 hours flight before check-in and such, so most likely around ten hours.”

“Seriously? Really seriously?” Chris dropped a slice of pizza and it landed on her pants. “Damn Pizza!” Picking up the slice and putting it back on her dish, Chris was glad she kept paper towels within reach on the table.

“Yes, seriously. I know you usually wear shoes that offset your height a little, but I recommend you stick with something comfortable.”

“I am comfortable not looking like a sawed off gnome.” Chris was not going to get caught by some overzealous airport guard thinking she was a lost kid.

“If you say so. Just have your bags packed tomorrow by four. We're leaving late in the evening so we arrive in the early morning in New Delhi. I suggest sleeping on the plane.”

“What, you want to look at my sleeping face or something?” Chris paused. _Why the hell did I just ask that? Why would she_ _ **do**_ _that? I must be all messed up in the head because of that stupid text that stupid Hibiki sent me._

“Finish your pizza and go to bed. Or take a shower first if you haven't yet. I already finished packing.”

“You should help me find a dress if you have that much free time.” Chris immediately regretted that. “Actually, forget it. You said you got recording work, right?”

“I am done with that. I'll be over at 9:30. I know a really good store that also makes my stage outfits. They're a little pricey but the 2nd division compensates you really well for your work there so that shouldn't be an issue.”

“Yeah, I'm not hurting for money or anything.” Chris figured that if Tsubasa had connections, she'd be stupid not to use them. “But sure, 9:30. Can't be that hard to find a dress in a big city like this.”

“I am going to sleep then. You shouldn't stay up much longer either. Sleep well. Good night.” Tsubasa waited for a reply but the line just went dead. _She could have at least responded._ Putting her phone down, Tsubasa was already in her underwear and on her bed. She had agreed to take Yukine with her on a whim, pretty much, and she wasn't regretting it, but what was this uneasiness that she felt?

Chris on the other hand was feeling not uneasy but strangely excited. She hadn't been overseas in a long time, and she didn't have any positive memories of being there, but if she was going with Tsubasa, things would be vastly different. “Now that I think about it, she's gotta be traveling incognito and shit because there'd just be reporters all over us and in our faces if they knew. Maybe she should put her hair up in a ponytail. Would probably look hella good on her.” Chris ate the slice of pizza that she had dropped on her pants earlier, stuffing it into her mouth in one go. “Not that I really care, as long as I don't have to beat up some foreign reporters that can't take a hint.”

Finishing her pizza, Chris left her phone on the table and went for the bathroom. _Nail clipping, then brushing my teeth… actually, gonna brush my teeth first, that'd be gross the other way around._

Fifteen minutes later, Chris finally went to bed, just leaving the clothes she had worn that day on the floor. _Unlike that slob songstress I at least clean up after myself. Can't even imagine some dude taking care of my underwear._

=== The Sound of Wings and Snow ===

Her arms around Tsubasa's waist, Chris was secretly infuriated. Not because Tsubasa had been five minutes late due to traffic but because that idiot had sent her another text, telling her that types like Tsubasa probably need her to make the first move and be aggressive. _I'm not into her! Goddammit, I'm gonna shoot that_ _idiot to the moon_. _It'll make the Kadingir look like bootleg fireworks_.

“Yukine, I appreciate that you're holding on tight, but could you relax a little? You're starting to hurt me.” Tsubasa didn't want to say anything but it was making her drive worse and that was a dangerous thing.

Chris relaxed her grip but continue cursing Hibiki. Parking a little bit away from the store, they got there after a few minutes of walking in silence. “Are you the type that needs time to wake up properly?”

“No. Just thinking about stupid people that stick their noses where they don't belong. Is this the place?”

“Yes.” Tsubasa figured that Tachibana had done something intrusive like asking Yukine to bring back a lot of souvenirs or documenting everything where they went.

The staff within the shop was very professional, taking Chris to the back to take her proper measurements. Tsubasa stayed in the main room, checking out some of the more expensive dresses. While the shop, Starlight Fabric, did her stage costumes, they were usually more of a high class shop.

Getting bored of waiting quickly, Tsubasa peeked into the backroom, the floor clerk simply ignoring what she was doing. And Yukine was standing around in just her underwear, getting measured still. _Big._ Tsubasa didn't feel inferior, just mildly jealous. _I'm sure she has her own problems with those. It would be trading one issue for another, and still… swords should be thin._

Standing there and quietly observing, Tsubasa was confused when Chris was finally done getting her measurements taken and didn't even bother to cover up, just standing there, with her legs apart, looking mildly annoyed. _She was so embarrassed when I saw her change at the division the other day. What is with this difference in treatment?_

Going back to the floor, Tsubasa continued window shopping. _I do have a dress ready and packed… but I could easily fit in another one. Perhaps something to match whatever it is that Yukine will be getting. It might create some misunderstandings, now that I think about it, but is that really my problem? I will be at the orchestra incognito. Maybe I should do something with my hair and wear makeup to remain undiscovered. And showing up with Yukine as my escort, in a matching dress, will further distract from who I am._

Tsubasa was surprised when Yukine just came out of the backroom in a beautiful black dress that reached to her ankles and covered up nicely, a rounded cut around her neck, sleeveless, and very form fitting around the waist. The black also helped make her breasts appear a little smaller than they were, turning less eyes. _Strange that I would notice that_. _It isn't like me to be so concerned with remaining anonymous that I would think about my escort's looks_.

“So? Looking good or what?” Chris was barefoot at the moment, fourteen centimeter shorter than Tsubasa normally, plus the heels on Tsubasa's boots. She didn't look like she was just one year younger than Tsubasa.

“You look very beautiful. Like a white jewel encased in smooth obsidian.”

Chris had expected a typical Tsubasa response, not some corny line like that. “The heck is that supposed to mean?” Turning around to the clerk, Chris raised her voice in the shop, which was bad manners. “I'll take this one, I like it!” Walking back into the other room to get her normal clothes, just her school uniform, because that had been the first thing she found in her closet in the morning. Just as she entered the backroom, Chris blushed. _What kind of line was_ _ **that**_ _? Damn, it made my heart race._

Tsubasa had no real concept of what was _corny_ or not. She just said what was on her mind and because she had just finished recording work the day before, she occasionally lapsed into lyric speech like that. _That really was a very nice dress. I could definitely wear that myself._ Talking to the clerk, they did have an extremely similar dress that fit Tsubasa's height and measurements, which they had on record already. She paid 62,000 yen for it, while Chris paid 55,000 for hers. Those were exorbitant prices for a high school student, but the two of them were not exactly regular people.

“Yo, I didn't think about this but your bike has no luggage bags or anything.” Chis came back out on the main floor, wearing her regular clothes.

“We can have the dress delivered at your earliest convenience.” The store clerk quickly informed the white haired girl before Tsubasa could even say anything.

“Well, that settles that.” Chris paid via an application on her cellphone while Tsubasa paid with a card. “What now?” Looking at Tsubasa with a bit of anticipation of going somewhere else, Chris was shot down.

“I am taking you back home. You need to pack your bags.”

There was an annoyed look and almost just as annoyed groan. “Sure. Whatever.” Chris was not really looking forward to that.

Ten minutes later, they came to a standstill in traffic. “I'd be faster to just fucking walk at this point!” Chris didn't have a very high patience level when it came to being stuck in traffic.

“Don't be stupid. It's ten minutes by bike to your house. There is a reason Tachibana and the others take the train there.”

“How come you never come over anyway? I mean, it's a damn bother that everyone just thinks they can invite themselves in, especially every time we watch your concerts and stuff, but I specifically got that big wall mounted flat screen because I get guests all the time.”

“If I am there, who would be holding the concert?”

“Other than that, obviously!” Chris hit Tsubasa's back with the front of her helmet.

“I never got the impression that I'd be welcome to just show up.”

Because of the traffic, Chris and Tsubasa had to nearly shout at each other to converse. And now, Chris talked in a quiet voice, there was no way that Tsubasa would hear her. “I didn't get all that furniture for our idiot and her friends, you know.” Disappointed with herself for expecting something different, Chris went back to her normal, shouting voice. “I mostly just laze around when I'm home, so if you don't mind that, you're free to show up.”

“I'll keep that in mind.” Progressing at a snail's pace, Tsubasa wished motorcycles had radios. “What did you think of my last single? Tachibana said something about a limited edition?”

“I just happened to be up all night because I slept through the day! And I figured, sure, why not, I have the money and your music is nice.”

“I still remember when you were shouting you hate singing and songs.” Tsubasa felt Chris' arms tighten around her waist a bit too much. “Stop, stop, I can't breathe!”

“You know I was going through a lot!” Chris didn't like it when someone brought that up. It reminded her of Fine and terrible times. Relaxing her hold on Tsubasa, the blue haired songstress took a few deep breaths.

“That was not how I meant it. You're a much nicer person now. The others probably don't really know how nice. I was impressed with your sense of responsibility. How you felt about Solomon's Cane.”

“You were impressed?” Chris thought it was just normal for her to feel responsible, because she **was** responsible.

“A weaker person would have tried to blame others or run away from their responsibility. But I also remember how you called me senpai.”

“So what's the big deal.” Chris pouted under her helmet.

“I wish you would call me that more often.”

“Seems to be a running gag that none of us use that right.” Chris grumbled. “That idiot never calls me senpai either, it's always Chris-chan, Chris-chan. I'm older than her, goddammit!”

 _But you're also shorter than her. Only with your heels are you taller and even then, just a little._ _It's adorable, really._ “Maybe you should lead with example.”

Chris didn't reply and they continue to sit on the bike, stuck in traffic. “If you say so, senpai.”

Tsubasa grinned a little under her helmet. “Although given our working relationship, calling me by my name would be better still.”

Chris blushed and tried to break Tsubasa in half with her considerable lack of strength. “Why you! You go about respect and shit and then you tell me to call you just T... T-T-Tsubasha!” Chris fumbled her pronunciation and wanted to disappear.

“Tachibana and everyone else addresses me with honorifics, but I thought that you would be fine just calling me by my name as my equal.”

“You see me as your equal?” Chris was surprised by this. But instead of getting an answer, Tsubasa drove a handful of meters and pulled her cellphone out of her jacket pocket. “Text?”

“From Tachibana.” Tsubasa had a bad habit of reading her texts out loud. “I hear Tsubasa-san is going to pick you up for some private one-on-one shopping! It's totally a date! Counting on you for some #happenings! Good luck!” Tsubasa could feel the animosity behind her. Not because she was trained or a Symphogear user, or somewhat sensitive to that but because Yukine was growling like a mad dog and desperately trying to snatch the phone from her hand. Another text followed. “I'm sorry, don't read that last text!” And then another. “I accidentally sent it to you instead of Chris-chan!”

“I'll kill her! I'll fucking kill her dead! I'll turn her to dust!” Chris barked and shouted.

“I didn't know you felt that way about me. This is really unexpected.” Tsubasa blushed a little under her helmet. _Tachibana is most likely misunderstanding something here, but her reaction is quite something._

“I don't! That idiot just got this stupid idea in her head that I do because I'm a fan!” Chris was glad she could hide her face under the helmet. She could feel how much she was blushing.

Tsubasa thought that was a little anti-climatic, all things considered. “I wouldn't mind. With how much time I spend around Tachibana, I am pretty much used to romantic relationships between girls.” _And then there are Maria's friends as well. Akatsuki and Tsukuyomi, if I remember right._

“Wha-?!” Chris couldn't reply with anything else. “How can you get used to that! They're always flirting like newlyweds! It's so embarrassing!”

 _So it's them being flirty that bothers you, Yukine? Not that they're both girls_? “I never really thought much of their behavior. It is mostly Tachibana that is overbearing, though.”

“That idiot needs to learn what kind of behavior should stay in their room!”

“I think you're a little too strict on her.” Tsubasa grabbed Chris' right hand. There was really no issue with doing this since they were moving slower than an old dog. “See? There is really nothing embarrassing about holding each other's hands, Yukine.” But Tsubasa didn't really understand just how reluctant Chris was to accept any closeness like this. “Yukine?” Tsubasa found it strange that she was suddenly so quiet.

“Shut up and drive.” Chris felt her heart hammer against her chest like crazy and pulled her hand away. If Tsubasa had turned around then, she could have seen Chris blush despite the helmet. _You… you playboy!_ _Calm down, Chris, calm down..._ Taking some deep breaths as they finally started to get out of traffic, Chris managed to sort out her thoughts.

She was very finicky about physical contact like that. Fine had always treated her terribly, hurting her because she was completely nuts, and after learning how actual non-nuts people acted as a couple, Chris still struggled seeing herself with that. So she acted out whenever she saw Hibiki and Miku act too much like a couple. And still, Tsubasa suddenly taking her hand like that had been like a shock. Because despite her own expectations, she didn't freak out, not in the way she thought she would.

=== The Sound of Wings and Snow ===

“Can I use your bathroom?” Tsubasa didn't drive anywhere else after dropping Yukine off. She wanted to make sure she would actually pack her bags in a timely manner. The dress would most likely arrive in an hour or so, Tsubasa estimated.

“Yeah, why not.”

In the actual bathroom, Tsubasa was surprised just how much hair care products Yukine owned. There were sets for taking care of nails and skin, too. _I didn't take her to be so… feminine. It makes me question how well I even know her_.

Chris decided to just wear her summer school uniform for the trip to New Delhi. India was hot as hell and she didn't really care too much about wearing something she wasn't that used to. Trying to push the large case shut, Chris resorted to sitting on top of it like in a comedy movie. It didn't actually help.

“Need some help?” Tsubasa had returned from the bathroom, ready to go on the trip. She had changed her hairstyle to a single large ponytail at the back. Even Chris needed a second to recognize her.

“Push down, I'll jump on top of it, then close the clasps!” _Damn, she looks kind of hot like that. Not that I'm interested or anything! I couldn't care less! But she does look kind of sexy. Like that wild tomboy princess character she acts like when she wears her Symphogear._

While Tsubasa pushed down the lid of the case, she looked at Yukine, taking position on the bed to jump on top of the case. “I borrowed one of your hair ties. I hope you don't mind.”

“I got plenty. It must suck, having to disguise yourself to avoid reporter trouble and shit.” Chris jumped on the case and the two girls managed to close it. “One done, one to go.” As a teenage girl with a lot of money, Chris couldn't make do with just one case.

“Back when I first started, when Kanade was still alive, I really had trouble with the press and the public eye. But it's really not an issue anymore. Does it look strange? It's the first time I really changed my hairstyle to this “

“It's fine.” _It looks helluva lot hotter than your usual weirdo hairdo, but no way I am telling you that. Not after you got that stupid text from that stupid idiot, putting stupid ideas in your head._

“I made reservations in an hotel in Agra already. Or rather, Ogawa did it for me, since my English is only just passable. You're half-American, right? How is your English?”

“Uh, so-so? I passed my tests but I doubt I can hold a conversation. Forget making a hotel conversation.”

“Ogawa will be accompanying us to handle hotel check-ins and so forth. I could most likely make do in Vienna as they get a lot of international customers, but in Berlin, it will be difficult to get around without speaking German.”

“The legal drinking age in Austria and Germany is 16 for beer and wine and 18 for hard stuff.” Chris brought it up out of nowhere. “I even looked up how to order beer in German! Ein weißbier, bitte.” Chris only slightly butchered her pronunciation, since German was closer to Japanese than English was, in terms of pronunciation, but was still proud. “They speak German in most of Austria, too.”

“You looked that up? Do you want to go out drinking?”

“We can't here, but I think that's total bull. We saved the world like half a dozen times or something like that, what's a little alcohol gonna do to us?”

“That is not really what legal drinking age is about.”

“We can't get anything in New Delhi but alcohol and spicy food doesn't go together anyway.”

“How would you even know this?”

“Don't be dense. You know exactly how super easy it is to buy some beer or sake even if you're underage. Unless you behave like our idiot. She'd still get denied if she was 30 with her personality.”

“Tachibana and sake sounds like a very dangerous mix in any case.”

“I'm a half, so I'm gonna be fine, but can you even handle alcohol?” Chris wasn't looking to get Tsubasa drunk, she just liked the taste of alcohol. Although she had heard that overseas beverages were pretty different. But how bad could it be, really?

“There can't possibly be a drink in this world that Kazanari Tsubasa cannot handle. I've fought Noise and I have fought other Symphogear users. There is nothing that can dull this blade of mine.”

“Not the sword metaphor again. I thought we were over that.”

“It slipped out.” Tsubasa sat down on the large case and watched the tiny Chris grab a second case from the bottom of her closet. “You might actually be packing more clothes than me.”

“Your bag must be the size of the old man.”

“My uncle? It is always difficult to tell who you're talking about.”

“Yeah, him.”

“There aren't cases that big.”

“Cargo crates.”

“He isn't that tall.” The door bell rung. “Do you want me to get it?”

“Yeah. I'm not gonna leave you alone in my bedroom.” _Lest you get any strange ideas about me having feelings for you or anything_.

Getting the door without saying anything, Tsubasa received two small packets from a private delivery service. _Why is Yukine being so standoffish with me? More so than usual even. Did Tachibana surprisingly notice something I am not seeing? Is Yukine being coy? Is she the type to do that? Maybe I should observe her a little more closely._

“Yukine, can you pack my dress as well? It would be chaos if I tried to fit it into my luggage at this point.”

“Sure, why not.” Chris was sure that Tsubasa _packing_ her bags was actually Tsubasa doing something else and her manager packing everything. _I'll never understand how she can let a dude handle her underwear. I'd die of shame. Like, **death** idiot swan song level of die._

=== The Sound of Wings and Snow ===

“Yukine.” Tsubasa tried to talk to her travel companion in a low voice. “Yukine.”

“What?” Chris was taking quick, deep breaths, clearly not feeling so good. They were still climbing and she was solely focused on not thinking about crashing airplanes in giant balls of fire without her Symphogear. Even if she transformed while the plane was nosediving, everyone else was gonna bite the dust.

Tsubasa felt how nervous Yukine was. “Airplanes are very safe. Non-noise related airplane crashes in the last year can be counted on one hand. And there are thousands of flights worldwide every day.” She figured that some cold, hard numbers would take the wind out of the sails of Yukine's anxiety.

“Uh-huh.” Chris didn't really listen, trying too hard to ignore that terrible feeling in her stomach.

Tsubasa was instead now focusing on ignoring the pain she was being caused. Yukine had just suddenly grabbed her hand and was holding on like her life depended on it. _I don't think I've ever held hands with anyone but Kanade outside of Symphogear attacks_. Tsubasa was more surprised than anything that Yukine was so shaken by flying like a regular person. They had gone to _space_ before, in their Symphogear no less!

And finally, the plane finished climbing. “Yukine. Can I have my hand back?”

Chris looked at her strange and then looked at the armrest to her right. She had the window seat while Tsubasa was towards the center. Slowly letting go of Tsubasa's hand, Chris wished she could just shrink until she disappeared. Sitting there in silence, Chris eventually pulled an MP3 player out from the small bag that she kept with her. It was loaded with every song that Tsubasa had ever released and a few other ones from foreign artists.

 _Oh shit. Oh shit_. Chris was appearing calm on the outside, but she was embarrassed to death. _I can't believe I fucking went and nailed down her hand like that. Or that I held hands with her!_ _Well, it's not like it's a big deal. We held hands before while fighting Noise and stuff._

Tsubasa had woken up really early in preparation of going to sleep on the plane. She didn't need a sleeping mask. A true warrior could sleep at any time, in any space, in preparation of what was to come. Although she found it a little difficult to fall asleep because she felt Yukine glance at her every few seconds. _Am I just imagining it? Those purple eyes, all over me. It's a little… embarrassing, almost. But if I confront her about it, she might just deny it and I definitely don't want an argument on a plane._

Chris was just lightly moving to the music blaring in her eyes when Tsubasa's head softly bonked against hers. “Hey.” Chris did remember that Tsubasa had recommended sleeping but not this soon! “I said hey.” But Tsubasa could sleep like a log. As an artist, she had to.

And Chris immediately remembered that text that idiot had sent to her. _I am gonna lynch her when we get back._ Chris tried to focus on listening to music but she could smell Tsubasa's hair. _What's that? It smells crazy good. But that isn't shampoo. Are you telling me her hair smells that good by itself?_ Chris couldn't help herself and sniffed Tsubasa's hair briefly. _Screw this unfair world_.

Putting away her MP3 player a little while later, Chris was surprised that Tsubasa wouldn't wake up from her moving about. Closing her eyes, Chris tried to go to sleep herself. And even though the situation wasn't optimal, she managed to fall asleep after a few minutes. Neither of them noticed when in their sleep their hands met and their fingers intertwined gently, Chris' head resting against Tsubasa's.

=== The Sound of Wings and Snow ===

Tsubasa really was glad that she had brought Ogawa along. They managed to make it to the hotel in one piece, but after that, things took a turn for the worse. It was the middle of the night now and the night shift receptionist's English was somewhat sketchy. Chris was half-asleep, sitting on her case, while Tsubasa's feet hurt. _I shouldn't have worn these boots._ She underestimated how much it would hurt her feet to wear those boots for over 10 hours straight.

Ogawa just returned, the receptionist heavily sweating and watching him. “Due to double booking, the three rooms you reserved are all gone. They will be giving you the last free room they have at no additional cost, despite it being in a much higher price class. I am going to be staying at a motel two streets from here.”

“Hey, what about me?” Chris had heard what was going on and shook off her sleepiness.

“Unless you want to stay at a motel, and I cannot recommend this in India, you will have to share the room with Tsubasa-senpai. They assured me that the room is made for two people. Their English was… very much lacking, so they could not give me details. It's on the fourth floor, room 455.” Ogawa handed a plastic key card to Tsubasa. “Now, if you'll excuse me.”

“Hey, what about our bags?!” Chris was not looking forward to pulling one super huge and one huge case by herself.

“I'll handle it. You can go. Thank you, Ogawa.”

“What do you mean you handle it? You got your own bag and I don't see any servants around here!”

“They're called bellhop, apparently.” Tsubasa pulled up the super huge case that was nearly as tall as Yukine if it was left standing up. “I am going to carry your bags, you will have to carry mine instead.”

“Off to a great start. Stuck in bloody traffic for two hours despite it being almost midnight. Timezones suck. How much difference do we have right now?”

“3 hours, 30 minutes.” Tsubasa pulled the heavy bags towards the elevator, not without some serious effort.

“And then our rooms are gone. Maybe I should just march up there and kick them out!” Chris was in a sour mood.

“They would probably shout at you in some foreign language and have hotel staff kick you out. We're not VIPs here.” Waiting for the elevator, Tsubasa really wanted to get some more sleep so she could start fresh in the morning. A shower was in order before sleep, however. It was much hotter in India than she had expected. Yukine was all sweaty as well. So much in fact, that Tsubasa could see her pink bra faintly through her white uniform. _Thankfully she hasn't noticed._

“Ugh, my clothes are sticking to me. Why is it so much hotter here than it was in Tokyo? It was **unbearable** inside that rental car!”

“India, and Agra, is much closer to the equator than most regions of Japan. The average temperature in June is 40 degree celsius.”

“ **Forty**?!” Chris felt like melting just hearing that.

The elevator came and thankfully it was, like the hotel in general, air conditioned. The two girls didn't say anything to each other until they arrived on the fourth floor where a wave of heat greeted them outside the elevator. Chris groaned and moaned under the heat. She could feel the sweat accumulate under and between her breasts and was jealous that Tsubasa wasn't suffering from a gross fate like that.

Finally making it to the room, Chris didn't have the energy left to be overly upset at the interior. “Yeah, I should have expected something stupid like this.” She couldn't get that angry, not with how sweaty she was. And tired, despite sleeping a few hours on the plane. The room was indeed for two people, but not two single people.

Both girls started unpacking, and Tsubasa finished much quicker because she had less clothes. Tsubasa needed a moment to wind down before she went to shower. The hotel did have a pool but it was probably closed at this hour. And she didn't feel like putting on a swimsuit in the middle of the night.

Watching Yukine unpack, Tsubasa noticed that really **all** her shoes had either high heels or were outright platform shoes. _I didn't realize she was that bothered by her height. I should make sure to not mention- how does she **walk** in those?_ Tsubasa saw the new, black platform shoes that looked like something she couldn't possibly walk in. And she was pretty experienced in walking around in boots with heels.

Chris didn't even pay any attention to Tsubasa, otherwise she might have noticed the staring. Both of them didn't unpack everything. They were only going to be staying two days, and they would leave late in the evening of the second day. So they had one full day and most of a second day to tour around.

The room was about six meters from door to balcony, and 4 meters deep. The bed at the left wall, as seen from the door, closets to the left and right of the bed against the walls and two desks against the right wall of the room, with some chairs and mirrors.

“I'm using the shower, all right?” Chris couldn't go to sleep as sweaty as she was.

“All right.” Tsubasa was fine waiting a little. There was something she needed to make up her mind about, too. Tachibana's texts were on her mind. She had gotten another one earlier, one that Yukine didn't know about. _I'm so sorry about that text earlier Tsubasa-san! Miku and I just think that Chris should really confront her feelings for you! If you just talk it out I'm sure things will work out. As fellow human beings, we have the luxury of talking. Hehe, that sounded really cool, didn't it? I'll see you next week! Good luck with Chris-chan!_

 _She still calls her that. Tachibana just doesn't learn._ And there was another text, but from Kohinata. _Hibiki is terrible with words but I do think you should talk to Chris-san._ That not only Tachibana but also Kohinata thought that meant there had to be some merit to it. _But how am I going to confront her? She is really standoffish and she's quick to try and bear a burden of something alone. Not that I am one to talk, though. But still, what should I do so she doesn't just brush it off_?

Meanwhile, Chris was leaned against the pleasantly cold wall of the shower, lukewarm water raining down on her, feeling cold on her skin, really helping to beat the heat. _Sleeping in a bed with her, huh. Shit, what am I so excited for?_ She didn't just feel excited on the inside. The thought of sharing a bed with Tsubasa, who she was betting on to sleep only in her underwear, was making her hot. _She's damn hot and after being around that idiot and her lovey-dovey wife all the time I can't help thinking about stupid stuff. Great, I've been corrupted by her antics._

Chris thoroughly washed herself, hoping that being occupied would get her mind off of Tsubasa, But on the contrary, rubbing over her arms, legs and especially getting rid of the sweat that was dried all over her breasts, Chris was more turned on than ever. _I won't get off in the hotel shower and if it kills me_!

This resulted in Chris looking flustered and feeling a certain itch when she got out of the shower. But ego won over bodily needs. _She's still sitting there_. “Bath is free. I'm gonna hit the sack because I'm tired as all hell and I wanna get up in a few hours and browse the food stands before restaurants open.” Sitting down on the left side of the bed, presumably where she was gonna try to stay, Chris felt the bed shift a little. “Shit, where did I put my brush?” Chris had fairly long hair when she didn't tie it together.

Tsubasa was suddenly in front of her and Chris held out her right hand. “You found it?`Gimme.” She needed to brush her hair while it was still damp or she'd get knots in it.

But instead of a brush being delivered, Chris was forced on her back, Tsubasa pushing her down by her shoulders, getting on the bed with her, kneeling over her. An indefinite number of thoughts and reactions tried to get priority all at the same time within Chris, leaving her completely unresponsive. The one that finally won out didn't help at all. _W-What the hell?!_

“Look me in the eye and tell me if you like me. Not as a co-worker at the second division, not as a comrade donning Symphogear, not as someone who attended the same school, or as a friend. But the same way Tachibana and Kohinata are; romantically.” Tsubasa opted for the direct and clean cut approach because she was the most comfortable with that. She wasn't the type to be overly good with subtle insinuations and the likes.

Chris' first action was to look away and blush like crazy, desperately trying to keep the super large white towel, that covered her otherwise stark naked body, in one place. “W-What the hell do you think you're doing?!”

“Don't look away. Don't dodge the issue.” Tsubasa wanted clarity. If Yukine had feelings for her, she needed to know so she could decide how to deal with them. She knew full and well that she wasn't pristine girlfriend material, but the main issue was how she herself felt. And it was difficult to make up her mind if she wasn't even sure if Yukine even liked her.

Chris **tired** to look at Tsubasa directly but with how close she was to her already, that wasn't easy. The way her heart was hammering, how embarrassed she felt, but also how excited she felt, it all pointed to a single conclusion that she didn't want to accept if only mostly because she didn't want that smiling idiot to be right!

Forcing herself to look right up and straight ahead at Tsubasa's face, at her deep blue eyes, Chris turned so red that she was indistinguishable from her Symphogear. Opening her mouth to say the words, Chris just couldn't. And when she didn't, Tsubasa got even closer, leaning down until her face was so close to Chris' that they could feel each other's bated breath.

“I won't understand unless you talk to me.” _Am I making it hard for her to talk? But according to Tachibana, if she does like me, she should be able to just tell me. I believe Akatsuki and Tsukuyomi have no issue with that either._

“You're too damn close!” Chris tried to push Tsubasa off but without her Symphogear, she really didn't have much in the way of physical strength. But thankfully, Tsubasa backed off on her own, sitting on Chris' legs for a short few seconds before she moved aside, just kneeling on the bed.

“So?”

Chris shut her eyes and crawled backwards on the bed. _Damn, my heart is beating like crazy. My body is totally telling me I do like her._ Once she figured that out, Chris was not the type to just sit there and lie through her teeth. “I d-d-d-” _Why the hell is this so hard to say now?!_

“You do? You don't? You dunce?”

 _How would you even come up with that last one?!_ Chris was starting to wish she hadn't gotten Tsubasa to back off. _It's like I'm in some contrived romance novel._ _Someone is gonna knock any second now, I'll get out of answering and I'll totally snuggle up with her tonight by **accident**_. But nobody knocked and Tsubasa kept staring her down. _Shit._ Adjusting her towel, so it wouldn't slip, Chris sat up and looked away again. _Why am I so super embarrassed?_ “What about you? Y-You like me or something?”

“No.” Tsubasa didn't pause for more than a second. “But… if I had to decide whether or not I would be your girlfriend anyway and just start liking you from there, I would say yes, I do.”

 _That is such a stupid answer and such a typical Tsubasa answer! I'm only surprised there wasn't a sword metaphor in there somehow!_ Chris tried to cover her crazy heartbeat and anxiety up with internal comedy routines and sharp jabs, but it didn't work out in her favor. _This is bad, this is so damn bad, she basically just asked me out, right? No amount of 'I'm just embarrassed around her' or 'I'm a fan, it's normal for me to be nervous around her' is gonna let me explain way what I'm feeling._

With anyone else, Chris would have been reluctant to even consider _being_ with them in a normal way, much less intimately. It was rare now, but she still had nightmares about Fine abusing her, treating her horribly. _But like hell I'd let that keep me from a chance like this!_

“So… so, let's say, hypothetically I would like you...” Chris couldn't believe she was getting there, in more ways than one. Until just ten minutes ago, she had still been in complete denial about what she was feeling, even though she had used some pretty iffy excuses to make it sound real.

“Then would you like to go out with me? I am sure there will be some issues, such as me having to maintain the official status of being single because of my work, and most of all, it would probably not go over well with the public if they wrote articles about me dating another girl. But if there is anyone I would like to go out with, then it is you, Yukine.”

“You suck so much at getting any kind of romantic mood going.” Chris felt the wind taken out of her sails.

“Wait, let me do that over!” Tsubasa realized just awkward that must have sounded. Clearing her throat, Tsubasa crawled forward on the bed and grabbed Yukine's hands, drawing them close to her own chest. “I want to go out with you, Yukine.”

“Call me by my name already, darn it.” Chris was really happy and really mad at the same time. “And I said hypothetically! Hypothetically! It means what if! It's… it's not like I really… I mean...” Chris was back to turning red.

“Whenever someone says hypothetically they really just mean what they say.” Tsubasa was a celebrity. She knew how that worked.

 _Why are you clever with the dumbest things?_ Chris couldn't just leave things this way. “I… li…. I like you, dammit!”

“I will do my utmost to be return that feeling as soon as I can.” Tsubasa was still holding on to Chris' hands and wasn't really thinking about letting go.

“Can I have my hands back?”

“No.” Tsubasa had seen enough of Tachibana and Akatsuki to know what she was supposed to do next. Not to mention, she had indulged in quite a few thoughts about doing this sort of thing with Kanade, all those years ago.

Pulling Chris towards herself, Tsubasa hugged her, forcing Chris' head against her shoulder. “I'm not sure how good of a girlfriend I am going to be, but I will do my best, Chris.”

The white haired girl twitched a little when she was finally being called by her first name. “You better. But don't you think we'll… we'll… do **this** and **that** just because we're together now and sleeping in the same bed! I'm not Hibiki!”

“What do you mean with **this** and **that**? What do you think Tachibana is doing?”

“Are you gonna make me spell it out for you?” Chris pushed Tsubasa away again because she couldn't deal with prolonged hugging.

Tsubasa was very new to the whole _act like a girlfriend_ business, but she really was trying. “From the tone of your voice it sounds like something girls their age shouldn't be doing.”

“That's not what I meant! It's fine if they do it in their room, whatever they're doing! But I… need to get used to you first.” _I don't need to tell her about Fine, she can probably guess that that nut job wasn't very caring._

“For now, I will have to go and take a shower.” Tsubasa still wasn't ready to sleep without a cleansing shower.

“You're leaving me by myself after **that**?!” Chris couldn't believe the nerve of this girl.

=== The Sound of Wings and Snow ===

Tsubasa took longer than expected in the shower, processing her new relationship with Chris. It was a bit strange to go out with her without being really in love, but Chris was plenty attractive and even though her personality could be difficult, she didn't find her difficult to handle or be around. That she liked her music, seemingly a lot so even, was nice as well. But strangely, Tsubasa didn't really feel like she was making a mistake. It had come surprisingly easy to her to ask Chris out like that. _Could it be… that I am actually-, no. I am sure I'd know if I was in love with someone. But I do feel weirdly relaxed around her. It's different from Tachibana._

Finally getting out of the shower, Tsubasa sat on the toilet, a layer of fur drawn over the lid to make it more comfortable, and dried her hair with a really big light cyan towel. “Well, in any case, I will try my best.” _Is this really something I should approach with that mindset? I do want to be her girlfriend._

Putting on only a light blue bra and panties, Tsubasa kept the towel on her head, still drying her hair, leaving her other clothes in the bathroom. The lights in the room were off but the town outside provided enough light for her to see. _Yuki- Chris is already asleep it seems like._ Drying her hair as best she could, she was sure that it would dry readily in this heat anyway. _I might have to ask Yu- Chris for help with brushing it later._

Slipping under the covers, the towel just landed aimlessly on the floor, she was surprised by how comfortable the bed was. They were really thin, because it was always really hot in India, but they felt also really pleasant. Tsubasa had her face turned towards Chris' but it was too dark to see her expression.

Reaching out beneath the covers, Tsubasa hesitated and stopped. _Does she even want me to touch her? She was pretty embarrassed when I grabbed her hands earlier. But I suppose as her girlfriend, I should at least try_. Slowly feeling ahead, Tsubasa made sure to search for Chris' hand way below her bust line.

Chris was still awake. There was no way she could have gone to sleep after what had just happened, no matter how sleepy she was. _Is she… trying to feel me up?_ Chris couldn't imagine Tsubasa trying that. But she didn't want to open her eyes and say anything. She really needed to get **some** resemblance of a nap before the sun went up in a few hours and food stalls would open. But there was one thing she could do.

Tsubasa nearly pulled her hand away when Chris suddenly touched her hand, seemingly in her sleep. It was a soft, careless touch. Tsubasa couldn't really feel it but she blushed a little as she carefully and slowly moved her hand beneath Chris', putting her own fingers in the space between Chris'. _Maybe… maybe I don't really need to try to like her after all_. _Maybe…_ Tsubasa closed her eyes and postponed those thoughts until she spent more time with Chris. For now, holding hands while sleeping in the same bed, as girlfriends, was plenty.

=== The Sound of Wings and Snow ===

Sing another Song?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jumping ahead in time from the last chapter.

Tsubasa's household was all but a conventional one, no matter what angle or perspective one took. This was reflected even in the early mornings of her considerably large apartment. A mop of white messy hair, attached to a short girl, whose morning slouch made her appear even shorter than she was, slowly made its way to the kitchen, where an equally messy pink waterfall of hair was already occupying the spot right next to the fridge, staring at the coffee maker with all the killing intent of a starving lion.

Their eyes met. Now, at this time, that was no longer an issue of great dread, at least not the way it used to be. No. Now, there was mostly tolerance, acceptance and shared annoyance directed towards not each other but that blue haired dummy that they both couldn't bear to be separated from.

Scratching the top of her head, the mop leaned against the cupboard with her back, still able to see the waterfall. They weren't that talkative on their own, at least not usually. When one's life is all action most of the time, the normal reaction to quiet and peace is a feeling of not knowing what to do. And right now they were at the height of peace and quiet. No school, no work and most of all, no loud idiot and her sunshine making the mood. No, this was just these two, on their own time and left to their own devices.

Finally the mop broke the silence, sounding far less menacing and threatening than she liked. It came off more as a matter of fact than a complaint really. A statement she had made several times before. “You kicked me last night.”

“I keep telling you that's Tsubasa, not me.” The waterfall's answer never changed. Every other morning, this accusation was thrown at her feet, literally, and every morning she denied it. But today she would finally meet her match.

“You damn kicked me. Tsubasa was rolled half over you and the second I got back from the toilet you kicked me, like a territorial dog. I was here first!” Although that was technically true, it was similar to one twin always saying they were the older one whenever they pushed their luck.

 _Without me you two wouldn't even be at first base yet._ She had learned quickly that there was really only one way to deal with the mop. If she did something wrong, she had to own up to it and apologize. If she acted stubborn or coy, or some kind of easily interchangeable alternative, they would argue about it all day long, even going so far as to harass each other eventually. Like using up all of the hair conditioner. “Sorry. The bed is so big that I started tossing.”

And whenever she owned up to her errors so quickly, the situation got a different kind of weird. Because the mop wasn't actually able to deal with someone being so upfront with apologies either. Tsubasa, sure, that was another thing entirely. But not that useless waterfall. “It was a pretty wimpy kick. You're… probably right that Tsubasa is the one that's tossing most of the time.”

Spending a good minute in silence while the coffee maker creaked, buzzed and creaked some more, the two of them repeatedly yawned and felt sluggish. They both thought the same thing every morning now. _There's nothing to do…_ With the coffee machine almost finished, the pink half of the bored duo stepped away, opened a hanging cupboard and took out one cup and then a second after a moment deliberation. A white cup, with four pink stripes that went around and round, and a red cup, that had something like a bullet on both sides. Those were their designated lazy morning cups and saw a fair share of use nowadays.

They didn't need to talk to each other, or thank each other, for little things like that. Although the situation, when asked alone, was far from optimal, they were bearing with it the best they could. Sometimes, fighting for what you wanted until the very end was just not preferable to a compromise that made everyone happy. In this situation, the alternative would have made one person a little more happy, one a little less and one would be in the emotional state of an airplane that got on the bad side of Ichaival. Slurping from their cups, they spent several more minutes in silence, occasionally looking at the digital clock on the oven that showed it being quarter past eight in the morning. Other looks went towards the living room, adjacent to the kitchen, and the window, revealing a cloudless sky outside that promised to live up to another record high temperature in due time.

“Tsubasa training again?” Mop asked and went with her free hand through her hair, trying to loosen it up a little, so she wouldn't experience the quite painful feeling of hairs getting stuck in the brush.

“Hm.” Waterfall confirmed. “How she can keep doing that so early in the morning is beyond me.”

Unlike the two lazy bums, the owner of the household, Kazanari Tsubasa, woke up at six sharp, got out of bed without her two girlfriends, washed herself briefly before she grabbed a banana and an apple from the kitchen and went up to the roof to go about her daily routine.

“You say that but you join her every day.” The white messy hair was ruffled intensely for a moment.

“An idol has to stay in shape. But Tsubasa overdoes it.” Looking at the other girl, she yawned, slurped on her coffee again and then yawned a second time. “You should get some exercise, too.” _You're kinda eating a lot. Well, we all know where all those nutrients and fats go._

“I get enough exercise whenever that idiot or Tsubasa's uncle drags us out for a training session.” Leaving her post before she started to meld with the cupboard, she walked towards the living room, putting her mug down on the table and lying down on the spacious couch. Reaching between the pillows, she started searching for something and became annoyed when even the third pillow didn't bear results. “Hey, Maria, did you take my Vita?”

“It's in the bathroom.” Maria answered from the kitchen. _Now that I say that… it's my turn to clean the shower and bathtub drains. Three girls with long hair, especially Chris' and my curly hairs… we shed a lot more than I thought. Shirabe and Kirika must have it nice…_ “You shouldn't play in the bathtub.”

“ **You** shouldn't come to bed with your hair still wet. I had a fucking nightmare about a seaweed noise drowning all of us the other night!”

“I spent three hours in front of the mirror fixing that.” Maria tilted her head back and forth a few times to loosen up muscles. Finally leaving the kitchen, Maria stopped between the two rooms, just for a moment, to put down her cup on the sideboard and head for the bathroom. Meanwhile, Chris was just lounging on the couch, feeling listless for a change. _The alchemist bullshit was a real shit show. I'm glad there's no more global fuck ups but, you know, it's kinda…. Making me talk to myself. That's how bored I am. I should get up and get my Vita so I can grind my high-score, but… eh… getting up…_ The listlessness was taking over.

Looking straight up for a couple minutes and just enduring the silence, Chris finally sat up and grabbed her coffee mug. _Without school or any incidents, there's just nothing to do. Stopping purse snatchers or a bank robbery is a job for the police and not us, so that's that… what the hell is keeping Tsubasa?_ Sitting there for a moment, partaking in coffee, Chris watched Maria come back into the living room with just one eye's worth of attention. To her surprise, the pink hair monstrosity dropped off her portable gaming console as she walked by and sat about a leg's length further down the couch and reached for the TV remote.

Lying down and firing up her favorite on-rails shooting game, Chris just tuned out the news that were now running on the TV and that Maria seemed to watch. “Anything interesting? Meteor coming to crash the earth or anything?”

“They're reporting about a new stuffed plush's factory.” Maria switched from local to national news, which was not much better. “Record temperatures across Japan.”

“Well, we got air con, so we're cool.” An awkward moment of silence gave both of them pause. _Do… do I say I didn't make that pun intentionally? But then she thinks I'm embarrassed by making it accidentally._

Their salvation came in through the balcony entrance, a heavy glass sliding door. On their balcony, being the top level apartment and Tsubasa having quite a bit of money, was a small staircase that connected directly to the roof, that was littered with training equipment and a three meter high fence so nothing would go sailing over the edge and turn into an unintentional heavy object falling from above.

White sweat towel over her shoulders, blue hair tied into a functional ponytail, Tsubasa was glistening head to toe with sweat. Barefoot and only wearing a white, sleeveless shirt and blue hot pants, her usual training attire, she stepped foot inside her apartment and didn't look the least bit surprised to find Maria and Chris there. After all, it was her who said that they had to compromise – she couldn't and didn't want to decide between the two, so they could either all three be together or none of them. What she hadn't expected was that Chris and Maria would goad each other so much that they didn't trust the other as far as they could throw each other. And so they both **insisted** they move in.

For Tsubasa, this had been an enormous change in her life. She had been with Chris for a while but their relationship was advancing at a pace that was best observed in fast forwarding montage, even she knew that. Maria making a move on her caused a lot of fighting, arguing and even a Symphogear powered angry stand-off between the two. But in some ways, it was also the push she needed. There was no option to keep them at arms length and progress slowly. Like a wing, she had to take flight from one day to another and it really helped her emotionally. She rose to the task at hand instead of being crushed by it.

Maria, leaning back on the couch, with one arm on the backrest and her legs crossed over each other, felt a little smug. She always sat at the far end of the couch because it meant she would be in Tsubasa's path first which meant she would get to kiss her first thing in the morning. Before Chris. Deep down she felt guilty over being so competitive about this, but small sins like that could surely be forgiven.

Tsubasa didn't sit down, far too sweaty for that, and just bend down, resting her hand just to the right of Maria's shoulder to support herself and kissed her. Their kisses were, for the most part, not those of a couple freshly in love and all innocent. They were more tempered. Living together for a while now, the adrenaline, the hot running emotions, had cooled a bit, leaving them much more comfortable with each other than they would have been without that emotionally turbulent time before. “Morning, Tsubasa.”

“Morning, Maria. If you're up, you should join me on the roof.” She said this almost every day, and every day she received the same answer.

“I'm not that superhuman.” Feeling relaxed, Maria reached for a mug on the table that was not there. _Crud. I left it on the sideboard._

Chris noticed the blue curtain above her, paused the game and looked straight up, flat on her back. “Morning.” Tapping her lips with her index finger, Chris closed her eyes.

This was a big difference between her and Maria, at least for Tsubasa. Chris was, on the outside, loud, impulsive, reckless and aggressive, but when it came to their relationship, she was often unusually docile, demure almost. Even though she was still demanding, which reflected in her brazenly asking for her morning kiss but closing her eyes because she was embarrassed about it.

Chris received the exact same kiss as Maria did and everyone in the room knew this. Tsubasa was true to her word and treated both of them equally, in their own way. Because their personalities were different and they had different needs, she didn't treat them the **same way** but **equally** , an important distinction that didn't really sound like one when she had to explain her situation to someone else.

“I'm using the shower you two.” They had a few unbreakable rules in their apartment. One of them included that time in the big bathroom was sacred. Whether it was Chris taking a long bath or Maria spending two hours doing hair care or Tsubasa taking just a quick shower, if someone else had bathroom needs, there was a small toilet and sink only bathroom at the other end of the apartment.

Because of the nature of their relationship, everyone having their own room and all of them sharing a bedroom would have been redundant, so they broke down the wall between two personal rooms and divided up the space. It was only thanks to the combined efforts of Maria and Chris that the room ever resembled anything but absolute chaos. Tsubasa still had zero wife skills.

“Today's your turn.” Chris thought she'd remind Maria of that. Combined efforts was more accurately something like great individual efforts every other day. Monday, Wednesday and Friday were Maria's responsibility. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday fell on Chris. Both of them got to take a bit of a break when Ogawa showed up on Sundays, helping out with general clean up.

“I know. How's the tub?”

“Eh, 's fine. You can skip it if you want but I'll skip it tomorrow too then.”

“Sounds good.”

Their mornings were unusually tranquil, considering what the last year and a half had been like. They both came from strange backgrounds that left them devoid of a routine for such a lifestyle. And as such, they tried their best to come up with a hobby. Chris picked up a bit of gaming while Maria liked to work on improving her career as an idol.

Twenty five minutes later, a mostly naked Tsubasa emerged from the bathroom and didn't really care too much about covering up as she walked into the living room and stood in front of the open balcony door. Chris was suddenly glued to her game while Maria could just barely endure stealing glances at Tsubasa's naked behind.

As the sword-wing kept standing there, patience ran out in the white mop. “Put on some damn clothes already! I can't focus on anything if you're standing there naked!” Chris' face was like someone had smeared tomato sauce all over it. “Maria, fucking say something!”

“Chris is right. This might be… a little too distracting.” While Chris was aggressive and easily embarrassed, Maria was more the passive type but also easily embarrassed. There was just lots of embarrassment to go around.

“Hm, really? It never seemed to bother Ogawa or Tachibana.”

“One of them is literally your maid and the other is an idiot and a pervert!” Chris' fuse was never going to get any longer.

“I am a little worried that you're comfortable like this around Ogawa.” Maria worked hard on not being jealous. It wasn't too hard to not be jealous of Ogawa, considering how Tsubasa treated him.

“He's like… furniture. Or a butler. The kind that dresses you.”

Hearing her say that took the wind out of her girlfriend's sails. “Furniture…? You're… well I guess I can see why you'd think that.” Maria had seen first hand how pampered Tsubasa was, in an unusual and strange way.

“Oh, right, Maria, Ogawa called and asked me to tell you that we got an appointment at the recording studio at ten. I just remembered.” Tsubasa dropped a bomb on Maria that made the other half of the singer unit _Queen's of Music_ almost drop her mug.

Adrenaline and panic flooded Maria's head and she just stared at Tsubasa for a long minute. What brought her back to reality wasn't the girl she was dating but Chris. A wooden brush bonked Maria on the head, wood first. “I'll help but you're gonna owe me take out at the new Thai place eight streets down.” Chris was, despite appearances and behavior, quite sharp. Handing a second brush to Maria, Chris split the wild bed hair in half, right down the middle, and started on the left side. Maria's hair was the most work out of the three of them and her bed hair was particularly disastrous. Tsubasa had the enormous luck that she didn't really incur bed hair of that magnitude. Chris had problems dealing with her own hair but nothing as bad as Maria.

“It makes me happy to see both of you get along. Maria. Yu- Chris.” _I always called Maria by her name because Cadenzavna Eve is just too hard to say, but after calling Yukine by her last name for so long… the last time I got it wrong they didn't give me dinner._

“You ever think about maybe getting a haircut or something? It's like I am trying to brush a jungle front!” _I'm damn glad I got experience from doing this myself every morning. If she had to count on Tsubasa… no, don't even think about it._ “What're you suddenly going to the studio for anyway?”

“The text didn't say.” Tsubasa strutted around the living room for a few moments before she actually felt the need to put on some clothes herself. “Be right back.”

“Lucky you.” Chris felt jealous of Maria's singing talents. “Maybe I should look into being an idol like you two are.”

“You'd have to exercise every day, keep your figure and build up a lot of stamina.”

“Maybe a virtual idol.”

“You'll have to spend a lot of time editing videos, filters, do your own make-up.”

“If you ever wanna quit the idol thing to do something more relaxing, like being a full time symphogear user, I'll give you my vote. What **happens** to your hair when you sleep? It feels like this half is trying to eat the brush!”

“You should see what happens in high humidity sauna after swimming. Kirika called it the pink swirl of death.”

“I'm amazed you left them at your old place on their own.”

“They keep each other from doing anything too stupid.” _And I had Ogawa install a tracking app for their relics on my phone that lets me see where they are._

“ **Maria**?! **Have you seen my underwear?!** ” Tsubasa's shouting was coming from their bedroom.

“Just get new ones from your drawer!” Maria shouted back.

“The drawer is empty!”

Maria looked up for a moment. “Was it my turn to do laundry? I thought I did it last week.”

“Fuck.” Chris wanted to hit herself in the face. “I thought it was your turn. My bad. Tsubasa! Just get some from Maria's drawer!” A total, numbing silence that lasted a full minute followed until Chris and Maria realized that there was no way that Maria's underwear would fit Tsubasa. “Gimme a sec, I need to fix this.”

Leaving Maria by herself in the living room, Chris half walked half jogged towards their bedroom, where she found Tsubasa half dressed – that was to say, Maria's underwear was on the floor, because Tsubasa lacked both the hips and the chest for those, and Tsubasa was otherwise seemingly dressed.

“You are not leaving like that.” Chris put two and two together and immediately concluded that Tsubasa had tried on Maria's underwear as she had suggested and then just took it off again when it was too large.

“Nobody will know. Don't be a prude, Y- Chris. A sword can still be carried without a sheath.”

“You can sheath that stupid idea of yours. Strip.” Walking past Tsubasa, Chris knelt next to the bed and pulled out the right box that filled the space below their extra large sized bed. Inside were various sheets, covers for comforters and also spare blankets. And a very small number of panties and bras that were very clearly too small for either Chris or Maria. “Good thing I expected this to happen sooner than later.” Throwing a rolled up panty and bra combo to Tsubasa, Chris rushed back out, back in and stood still in front of Tsubasa, who was back to being basically naked. And without doing anything other than briefly staring at Tsubasa, Chris ran back out. _Why is this so much harder than with Fine? I mean, okay, Tsubasa's not a sadistic super villain, but come on… argh, fuck!_ “Maria, hurry the hell up.”

=== Eve of Wings and Snow ===

The ice and shade made her current situation turn on its head, from uncomfortable to nice. Below, Yukine, popsicle in her mouth, wearing a light red and white blouse and a medium length skirt together with her usual plateau shoes. By her side, head resting on her shoulder and book in hand, Maria. Wearing light blue half-pants and a white blouse similar to Yukine's, together with pink high heels.

The white mop resting in Tsubasa's lap was looking slightly up, not to gaze at Tsubasa directly but play her game. Chris' feet dangling off the side of the bench they sat on, her eyes always wandering a little upwards to look at Tsubasa's face, the sun's rays hitting just above her forehead, creating a delightful contrast between the girl's remarkable face and her signature hair.

And the pink waterfall, now tamed and much more orderly than that morning, calmly rested her cheek against Tsubasa's shoulder and read a small novel she happened to bring with her to the studio. She was too tall to pull the same thing as Chris and Tsubasa had only one lap anyway. And if she was honest about it, she would be way too embarrassed to be seen like that in public.

Tsubasa herself was listening to music quietly, just enjoying the weather outside. And the company. She still had a _little_ trouble acting like a proper girlfriend and according to Yukine and Maria, they didn't really mind – they knew what they were signing up for. But she couldn't let that stand. If she did something, she wanted to do it well! Kazanari Tsubasa did no half things!

But that was much easier said than done. Fight an enemy and can't win? Just fight harder or find a power up that's really crazy. Can't keep the house clean? Just call Ogawa more often. No. Wait. Something about that one felt wrong. Well, didn't matter. Can't… can't… her life was a lot of fighting and singing and she really hadn't encountered a _can't sing well enough_ scenario just yet. Thinking about it, a whole lot of her life really revolved around Symphogear. Well, with Carol gone, that was probably settled. No more noise, no more autoscorers. But she couldn't let her training slip!

What was she thinking about again? Right. Being a better girlfriend. How exactly did _trying harder_ work with that? She could ask Tachibana, but Kohinata also seemed to have a lot of complaints about her so maybe that was not the best idea. Was there anyone else she could ask?

“Tsubasa.”

She couldn't ask her uncle. There was just no way. And absolutely not her father. There was even more no way. What about Kirika and Shirabe, maybe they could… no, they were too young. It was not exactly shameful to ask them, but Maria would probably not approve of that.

“Hey, sword idiot!”

If she couldn't ask anyone she knew, maybe she could look it up? There had to be tons of people that were worrying about this sort of thing. There had to be self-help books on the matter and if she could do anything then it was helping herself. Although Yukine always complained when she helped herself to the leftovers in the fridge. Something about having saved them for later? But it was later then, and she was hungry, so she didn't understand why Yu- Darn, she was doing it again.

Tsubasa's eyes widened when all of a sudden Chris pulled her down, grabbing her by her neck. Their lips met and she felt the tongue of her kouhai in her mouth. It only lasted a couple seconds but it left an impact on her.

“Finally got your attention?!” Chris looked a bit annoyed. More embarrassed than annoyed but still.

“I apologize, I was considering self-help books on principles of being a better girlfriend.”

“Step one to helping yourself! Pay fucking attention when your girlfriend calls you!” Chris had no trouble calling herself Tsubasa's girlfriend. Maria on the other hand always fumbled her words when it came to that and stuck to _partner_ instead.

“I will make note of that.” Tsubasa tried to smile but whenever she tried to force it, it just looked really weird.

“You are so bad at this. How can someone that is so good at fighting, singing and dancing be so bad at everything else?” Chris laid back down on Tsubasa's lap and looked up. “What are we gonna do after this?”

“We are **not** going to an arcade again,” Maria said in a really upset, snobbish way.

“I didn't ask you!”

“I'm giving you an answer anyway! We went to an arcade three times in the last five days!”

“You just don't want to get humiliated again!”

“We can go but you are going to face me in DDR!”

Chris paused. That was dangerous. Maria was a really fit, workout type of person and also a professional idol.

“What, where did all that bragging bravado from last time go?”

“You're on! I'll play you into the ground!”

Tsubasa watched them argue without so much as looking at each other. “I'm glad the two of you get along so well.” Chris and Maria both sighed at that. “What? Did I say that wrong?”

“Karaoke after the arcade?” Maria offered that to Chris, who just agreed with a hum. “Tsubasa, you are terrible at reading the mood.”

“Huh? But-”

“I still can't believe they tried to drag me into your idol stuff. Do I **look** like I have the stamina for something like that?” Chris just talked over Tsubasa.

In normal circumstances, Tsubasa was definitely the one with the reins. Giving orders, making them swoon. But when they were all together like this, she was so out of her element that she somehow ended up on the other end of the spectrum.

“They're not going to give up just because we told them no.” Maria turned a page in her book.

“They didn't even have the gall to ask me in person.”

“Now, now, I think they just wanted to gauge how interested Maria and I are in having you be part of the unit.”

“It wouldn't even be _Queens of Music_ anymore then.” Chris dismissed that by waving her hand slightly above her head. “It sounds kinda corny to begin with. I'm not even the right height for that. I'd look silly in one of those idol dresses anyway. Not to mention I'd look like a dwarf next to you two on stage.”

“If you want to do it that much, we can talk to the producers about it.” Tsubasa smiled at Chris, whose face just turned red. “I didn't expect you to put so much thought into it.”

Chris was about to burst into full denial but she could see Maria's smirk from the corner of her eyes. “S-So what? Thinking about it doesn't mean I wanna do it!”

“You're not that short, with the right shoes. They had a list of preliminary names, like 'Snow Wings' or 'Lyra'. I actually liked Lyra.” Maria wasn't really as opposed to the whole thing as Chris was. Most of all, she would love to see Chris sweat and struggle with the training they went through.

“That would just confuse the fans.” Tsubasa shook her head. “The only one I liked was 'Eve of Wings and Snow'. They abbreviated it as EWS.”

“They're just hijacking our three names for that one and sticking it all together.” Chris made a mistake in her game and started cursing. “Goddammit, now I died. Ah, fuck!”

“Queens of Music isn't all that original either.” Maria didn't mind and turned another page. “I'm one page away from finishing this chapter.”

“I just died.” Chris turned off her hand held console, and looked up. “Tsubasa, you ready to go?”

=== Eve of Wings and Snow ===

“Over there.” Maria pointed at the Dance Dance Revolution corner. “You're not going to be a wuss and hold on to the bar, right?” She was going to teach Chris a lesson she wouldn't forget anytime soon. _I'm glad I wore half pants today. Doing this with a skirt would be catastrophic._

Little did Tsubasa and Chris know that Maria used machines like this to train both her legwork and also her stamina. It was insane how much of a workout the harder songs could give one. She wasn't a competitive player, but she did manage to A rank some of the harder songs. And this time she was just going to be happy with a clear.

Standing on top of the platform, maria selected the song. It was the hardest one she ever managed to clear and she specifically picked it because it was brutal on the dancer's stamina. Someone like Chris would just crash and burn halfway through the two minute song, no doubt. “Elemental Creation Challenge.” Maria looked smug. “Unless you can't handle that?”

“Bring it on. I'll show you that a little bit of dancing around isn't so special.” Chris ran her mouth and immediately regretted it. The song started and even though she knew how to play the game, she knew right away that this was going to be brutal. That damn Maria had picked some super high difficulty song. Why did she let her pride get the better of her and agree to this? She'd definitely destroy her fifteen times over in whatever they played after this!

Chris was sweating blood and water, trying to keep up with Maria, who was basically an expert, flying over the Dance Dance Revolution pad like a bird, barely missing a step. Chris on the other hand was holding on to dear life with just her teeth at this point. Not only was her skirt hindering her, she was also definitely not someone who had the stamina for this. There was a slowdown all of a sudden and she knew that the next part would wreck her.

She could feel the sweat run down her face, dripping on the dance floor. And of course Maria had made sure that she couldn't hold on to the bar without losing face! But despite being humiliated, Chris could feel that Maria was sort of amazing for just managing to not fall beneath full health. Just how much practice, how much leg strength, did she have?

And finally, the song was over, resulting in a massive victory for Maria – who was sweating and breathing a bit fast but otherwise not too spent. Chris on the other hand could barely stand and didn't even achieve a clear – she had died right at the end.

“You… damn monster.” Chris had to hold on to the bar to support herself. And then she noticed the crowd. Ah, but of course. Maria and herself were both the busty type. Jumping around like that had to be quite the spectacle. But she didn't have the energy left to shout at them.

Tsubasa proved that sometimes she did understand how to be a girlfriend and lifted Chris right off her feet, princess carrying her away, to the other arcade machines. “Chris, do you mind if I play a few rounds with Maria? She looks like she wants to continue?”

Being carried and Tsubasa talking to her like that changed Chris' mood immediately. She still wanted to punch Maria in the face sometimes, but her anger was fleeting now that Tsubasa paid extra attention to her. “Don't play so much that we'll have to go after.”

“I'll be right back.” Putting Chris down on a cushioned stool mounted in front of a street fighter four arcade cabinet, Tsubasa hesitated for a moment. _What would a normal girlfriend do now?_ Leaning in, she was about to kiss Chris on the cheek, changed course and kissed her right on the lips. “You looked really good up there, even without practice.”

“I won't forgive you if you look worse than Maria.” Chris wanted Tsubasa to avenge her, but it looked like Maria was just raring to go, waving over the girlfriend they shared. “Destroy her.”

Stepping onto the platform that Chris had been on, the crowd was still there, even if most likely just to see Maria jump and bounce around. Tsubasa in her light blue jeans, sneakers and light shirt was proving to be a pretty stark contrast to Maria. “To warm up lets do the song that Chris just failed horribly at.” Maria was not going to let anyone beat her at this.

There were over six hundred steps in that song and doing it for a second time in a row, even with about a minute break after, was really difficult even for Maria. Tsubasa was dealing with a lot less bouncing – none, actually – which made things easier for her. And her sense of rhythm was just naturally good. She was light on her feet too.

And still, Maria won out after the hundred and twenty seconds had passed. But Tsubasa had completed the song and all she had done was broke a bit of a sweat while Maria was looking pretty groggy already.

“Is there a song we can play together?” Tsubasa didn't enjoy competing against Maria. In work they were cooperating and that was what she preferred.

“Co-op mode at this level is really brutal and takes a lot of practice to get right. We'd have to go for a much easier song.” Maria knew she had at most one more song in her. So why not go big and then go home? “There's a song I've been trying to clear for a while. Want to try?”

“Sure. Bring it on.” Tsubasa was never one to shy away from a challenge.

But this was one of those scenarios were just trying harder was not enough. The ninety second song had as many steps as the last and a plethora of holding notes and parts where you had to actually jump to make the next note in time. It also switched from high BPM to low BPM at one point.

Maria and Tsubasa both failed in the last thirty seconds, getting cheered on by the crowd to try again. While pink was trying to look tough, her legs were hurting. Doing this without holding on to the bar was making it ten times as hard and she doubted it was even possible.

Tsubasa was bent over, breathing hard. “This is good practice. How long have you been trying this?”

“A couple weeks. I think this was attempt thirty or something. I could probably do it by holding on to the bar but I like to actually get the workout.” Maria stepped off the platform and felt tired. “I'm ready to have Chris destroy me in whatever fighting game she plans to play.”

“Tsubasa? Maria?”

It was a voice both of them recognized. From within the crowd appeared Hibiki, dragging along Miku.

“Tachibana.” Tsubasa also stepped off the platform now, quite ready to take a break. She was impressed with the level of endurance Maria had. “I didn't know you came to arcades.”

“Miku always takes me out when we have time.” Hibiki looked almost bashful about it. “Were you two just doing Go for the top challenge difficulty?!” Forgetting being bashful, Hibiki sounded impressed. “I didn't know the two of you played DDR!”

“Tsubasa and Chris don't really play.” Maria noticed that Miku was eying their scores. “It is more of a surprise to me that the two of you play.”

“I'm just the help.” Hibiki looked still proud of that. “Miku is the real master.”

“Master, huh?” Maria stepped out of the way. “I kinda want to see that now. Tsubasa, can you get Chris? I think she'll be impressed.”

“I'll meet your expectations.” Miku looked very confident about herself. This was one of her favorite past times, all in all. It also kept her in good condition.

At first, Hibiki stepped on the left board while Miku got on the right. Tsubasa didn't carry Chris into the crowd but was dragging her by her hand. “That idiot and Miku are here too?”  _ Hopefully they didn't see me lose. I'll never live that down _ .

Tsubasa stood between Maria and Chris now, leaning towards the taller of the two. “Is that a hard song they are playing?”

“Possession Single Challenge.” Maria sounded almost reverent. “I would rate that the fifth, maybe fourth hardest song in the game. And they're doing that right away?”

The song started and three jaws dropped. While Hibiki was struggling a little bit early on and throughout the song, Miku was basically like a master grasshopper, flying over the board at speeds that made it seem like she had four legs, not two.

The crowd was cheering and this time, it was for their skill, not the bouncing boobs – of which Hibiki still provided some. The song ended and Hibiki stretched for a moment before they did another; the same song Chris had failed before. Hibiki was just acing this one, and Miku looked like it wasn't really bothering her at all to do those two back to back.

“I underestimated Kohinata.”

“Is this really that amazing?” Chris was not big into games that demanded so much physically, so she didn't really know if this was amazing or not. It sure looked like it, but looks could be deceiving.

“I want to be that good one day.” Maria leaned forward to look past Tsubasa, at Chris. “This could do wonders for your stamina, you know?”

“Shut the hell up about my stamina.”

And the second song ended with a Full Perfect Combo for Miku, who looked positively warmed up now. Hibiki was panting a little but nearly as much as Chris or Tsubasa had. And still she stepped down. “It took a lot of practice and guts to become good enough to be Miku's partner. But the really amazing thing is gonna happen now.” Positioning herself next to Chris, Hibiki calmed down a lot by controlling her breathing properly.

Maria, Tsubasa and Chris all stood there with their mouths wide open. If the singles had been impressive, Miku doing Possession Challenge Double on her own, without touching the bars at that, was mind-blowing. Almost like she really was superhuman, like Tsubasa's uncle.

=== Eve of Wings and Snow ===

“I'm dying...” Chris threw herself on the couch in their shared apartment and really felt like she was about to breathe her last breath.

Maria was not doing too hot either. “I'm gonna be sore tomorrow.” Sitting down on a different part of the couch, shoes still on, Maria just fell sideways, her head not too far from Chris'. “Who was it that thought it would be an amazing idea to practice with Miku in rotation?”

“Who do you think?” Chris tried her hardest to get out of her shoes without actually using her hands or moving more than absolutely necessary. “I'm amazed we're still alive at all...”

“She's got to be a demon… and I thought I was in pretty good form.”

“You were the one that volunteered for every stupidly difficult song.”

“Me and Tsubasa both.”

“Yeah, but she's almost as superhuman as Miku is.”

“Why did **you** volunteer at all? You were already spent after one song!” Maria turned over, looking at Chris' head upside down. “Tsubasa had to carry you all the way to the door because your legs were jelly.”

“You try being at some get together of friends and be the only one that goes all 'oh, no, I can't join in on the fun, I'm too out of shape'. That's embarrassing as hell!”

“And it wasn't embarrassing when you nearly fell off the stage and Hibiki had to catch you?”

“That idiot just should have minded her own business! I was fine! Totally am fine now!”

“Look who you're trying to tell that.” Maria turned over and felt every muscle in her body. “I dance pretty often, but Miku is like some kind of DDR alien.”

“We gotta make sure there's nothing left of that Shen… shen… the heck was it?”

“Shenshoujing?”

“If she ever gets her hands on that again the rest of us can retire.”

“You're exaggerating.”

“Maria! Chris! What should I make for dinner?!” Tsubasa was shouting from the kitchen.

There was a brief moment of silence before a loud noise came from the living room, like a couple of heavy things falling off a desk. Before she even knew what was happening, Maria was shoving her from behind while Chris was pulling on her arm. “I was trying to be considerate and make food since you two looked really tired.” Tsubasa didn't really understand why they were suddenly so energetic about pushing her out.

The second Tsubasa was out of the kitchen, already in apron and holding a single potato and a far too large knife, Chris and Maria closed the door and slumped down against it. “The last thing my body can take right now is her cooking.”

“Calling it cooking is pretty generous of you.” Maria knew that she wasn't exactly a superb cook either, but Tsubasa was downright dangerously incompetent with anything that involved **anything** but cutting.

“What are we gonna do about dinner though? Order out?”

“After we shoved her out of the kitchen?”

“Good point.” Chris did care about Tsubasa's feelings, even if she didn't mince her words or actions when it came to telling her how bad she was at anything involving chores.

“How exactly did we end up with all the house chores anyway?”

“We both agreed it would be creepy to have Ogawa come around the house unannounced and clean up. Especially considering that Tsubasa always leaves her clothes and underwear everywhere.”

Maria had revisited that issue a few times already. Cleaning up after Tsubasa was more of a chore than she had ever actually expected it to be. “I wish she'd figure out how to not make so much of a mess.”

“Between the three of us she's the biggest breadwinner and both of us kinda invited ourselves, but yeah, you're kinda right.”

“So… how about mashed potatoes and spinach? We just gotta microwave the spinach in the special glass container. We can let Tsubasa handle peeling and cutting the potatoes.”

“We had fries yesterday and oven potatoes the day before. All the carbs are going to kill me.”

“They won't be a problem today.” Getting up, Maria helped Chris stand and the two exchanged a meaningful look. As much as they each wanted to polarize Tsubasa, they knew that it would just ruin everything. And in the end, they had become a lot closer thanks to living together. Although there were plenty of challenges as well. Chris and Maria both always tried to bathe at the same time for example.

“I'm allowed back in?” Tsubasa was still standing in front of the door. This happened so often lately that she sort of figured out the process of what was going to happen next. They wouldn't actually let her cook, but she was allowed to help with the preparations – as long as it was limited to cutting things.

“You know you could let me handle something else sometime… there is no way I could mess up mashed potatoes.” Peeling potatoes with the skill of a seasoned master, Tsubasa was proving to be quite the help in the kitchen.

“The last time we let you boil the water for potatoes, there was so much salt in it that the water wouldn't boil at all and we couldn't even get the potatoes in.” Chris was just grabbing the necessary pots and such from the cupboard in the back. “Maria, the big or the small glass thing?”

“The big one. We're not having any side dishes.” For all of Tsubasa's strengths, helping around the house was not one, but that had brought her two girlfriends closer together. “And Tsubasa, we talked about this.”

“I feel bad letting you two do all the work.”

“It'll be even more work if you try to help. I still had nightmares about the washing machine throwing up.” Chris was casually pouring oil in the fire from behind.

“I told you I just misread how milliliters for min. liters!” Tsubasa was blushing now.

Chris put the biggest pot they had on the kitchen work space and then turned around, utilizing the moment where Tsubasa was between two potatoes to pull on her arm, step on the wooden stool they had in the kitchen for her to kiss the diva. “It's fine. We don't really have a problem putting up with this, even if we sometimes complain.”

“We knew about your lack of usefulness in a household long before we became your girlfriends.” Maria turned on the water and grabbed the pot, putting in the sink. Picking up where Chris had left off, she turned Tsubasa around and gave her a kiss also.

“Maria.” Chris handed over the salt shaker behind Tsubasa's back. “If you peel all of those we'll have too much.” Taking the three largest potatoes away, Chris put them back into the basket in their little kitchen store room.

“Why do we even need to cook the potatoes if we're mashing them anyway?”

Chris just raised her right hand in a 'this is your turn, Maria' gesture and went on to find the frozen spinach in the freezer.

“Uncooked potato tastes… not good. It's not healthy to eat either. Also, it would be super hard to actually mash uncooked potatoes. They're really hard.” Maria stopped the water. Tsubasa stepped out of the way without being asked and Maria put the pot on the stove, turning on the heat.

“You don't put in the salt first?”

“The water boils faster without it.” Maria had learned about that when cooking for Kirika and Shirabe.

“Huh, I didn't know that either.” Chris had found the frozen spinach and was now peeling the basically brick blocks of green out of the paper wrapping. “Tsk, would it kill them to use something so the stuff doesn't stick to the paper? Maria, lemme use the sink.”

Stepping away, Maria stood behind Tsubasa, looking over her shoulder. “Did you have fun?”

“I did. We should do this again soon. I didn't know dancing could be a game.” Tsubasa sounded a little excited about it and she didn't notice the annoyed grunt that Chris let out.

“We might have to leave Chris behind. She's not fit enough for that sort of thing.” Maria plotted a single date, even though she knew Chris would never allow it.

“Chris is a lot tougher than you think, Maria. After how much she complained she is still helping with the cooking.” Tsubasa didn't realize it, but what she said nearly caused Chris to boil in embarrassment. “You were pretty amazing, too, Maria. We all got a bit overshadowed by Kohinata, but still.”

“I'm just glad Miku has that idiot. I wouldn't want to deal with even more competition than I already have.” Slapping Maria's ass really hard, Chris earned a playfully annoyed look from her.

“And I'm glad Kirika and Shirabe have each other. It would be troublesome if they liked the same girl I do.”

“You two always act like I am some womanizing flirt.”

“That you don't realize that is part of the appeal.” Chris finished rinsing off the spinach and put it into the microwave suitable glass container. “Maria, gimme a hand.” She wasn't quite tall enough to put the heavy container into the microwave.

Letting go of Tsubasa and grabbing the glass container, Maria knew that Chris had taken her place even before she turned back around. “I think it is actually worth a thought or two, Chris.”

“What?”

“Joining us in the idol business. Tsubasa would feel less guilty about the time we are alone at work together.”

Chris turned around and leaned against Tsubasa, back to back. “You feel guilty? Seriously?”

“I try to treat both of you equally, but Maria and I work together also, so I get to spend more time with her.”

“You make out at work?”

“No. When I'm at work, I work. When we fight, we fight. A warrior focuses on one thing at a time.”

“So there's nothing to worry about.”

“You trust me that much?” Maria interrupted their discussion now, leaning down to face Chris. “I appreciate it.”

“What, did you think I was all jealous and envious? I know you two work hard. Who do you think does laundry after your training sessions?”

“Hey. We do **not** smell that much.”

“No, but you sweat a lot.”

“Do not.”

“Really? Want me to save your bra the next time you come from the studio and have you smell it?”

“Ugh...”

“That's what I thought.”

“You two really do get along well.” Tsubasa was finished peeling the potatoes and was about to throw them into the way when Chris quickly put a lid on the pot. “Chris?”

“Just leave the rest to us. You can set the table if you want. Although I'm feeling kinda lazy today, so how about we eat in the living room over some TV?”

“Ah, right, there is that anime that you-” Maria didn't get to finish that sentence because Chris stomped on her right foot.

“Shut your damn mouth! Who the hell watches anime?!”

Tsubasa hadn't been fully shoved out of the room just yet. “I thought you were always recording that… what was it… Black Stone Shooter?”

“Rock, not stone.” Maria was surprisingly knowledgeable. “The main character fights a lot like Chris does.”

“Shaddup, both of you!” Chris's looked just as red as her symphogear did. “One more word and you'll find out just how good I am with a gun!”

“Yes, yes.” Maria patted Chris's head and immediately retreated when Chris flailed in her general direction.

Tsubasa worked on setting the table a few moments later, leaving Chris and Maria alone in the kitchen. “You didn't need to tell her about the damn anime!”

“Why not? I watch Pretty Cure every sunday morning.”

“ **That** is what you've been doing? I never could figure out what the hell would get you out of bed that early other than trying to sneak some alone time with Tsubasa.”

“I like the thematic of the show. They're re-airing Fresh Precure and the way Passion joins up with the other reminds me a lot of you and me. More me, though.”

“One comment about my height and I will end you.”

“I wasn't even thinking it.”

“Good.”

“You do look better in heels than platform shoes though.”

“I legit can't tell if you're messing with me or not.”

“You think after spending so much time together I wouldn't spend a few thoughts on you?”

“W-” Chris turned scarlet red. “What the hell are you talking about?!”

“Wait, I thought we were on the same wavelength with this. With you always slapping my butt.”

“It's called messing around!” Chris could barely keep her face straight. “Y-You can't be serious? I thought you were only interested in Tsubasa?!”

“I-” Now Maria finally realized that she had let something really sensitive slip. “Of course I am! I was just messing around!”

“Yeah, right!”

“Maria?! What kind of cutlery do we need?! Should I get the sharp knives?!” Tsubasa was shouting from the living room.

Without warning, Maria bolted from the kitchen and went to assist Tsubasa, and most of all prevent her from doing something bothersome.

“That idiot. What's she doing ogling me instead of Tsubasa?” Chris was still blushing when she absentmindedly threw the peeled potatoes into the boiling water, forgetting to add salt. “Shit.” Quickly adding the salt, she stirred the pot, which was now ready to spill. “I mean… she's not bad. Not Tsubasa, but… nope. I am not going down that path.”

=== Eve of Wings and Snow ===

“Who was the idiot that peeled all those potatoes...” Chris was flat on her back, her head resting on Tsubasa's lap. An empty dish was on the table half a meter away.

“Who was the idiot that only took three of the potatoes away… we're not feeding Hibiki here...” Maria had her head leaned against Tsubasa's head, feeling far too full to really care about anything right now.

Tsubasa yawned. With one hand she patted Chris's head, with the other she rubbed Maria's shoulder. “You two shouldn't have forced it down. It's not like we're hurting for money.”

“It's bad in a lot of ways to let food go to waste!” Chris tried to get angry but her strength was just sapped out of her body.

“I agree with Chris actually… I always taught Kirika and Shirabe that they should eat what they put on the table...” Maria felt like she was going to explode. “Do we have anything on the schedule tomorrow…?”

“Garbage collection is tomorrow…”

“I'll handle that. You two just stay here.” Tsubasa was the only one that hadn't finished her plate which ended with Chris and Maria eating her leftovers. Trying to get up, she was grabbed by her arms.

“Not so fast there, Romeo.” Chris turned sideways, facing the TV. “You can still take out the trash later.”

“Yeah… just stay here so neither of us has to actually move.” Maria closed her eyes for a moment. “What were we watching again...”

“Anime...” Chris yawned and closed her eyes as well. “Don't you dare try to sneak off, Tsubasa...”

“Yeah… we'll never...” Maria nodded off mid sentence and Chris was quietly asleep as well.

Tsubasa heard the door being unlocked and knew that could only be one person. Sitting there, being a pillow for both Maria and Chris, Tsubasa couldn't turn a lot. “Ogawa?”

“Did I come at a bad time?” Using a normal voice, he came around the couch to face Tsubasa, only to find two thirds of the household asleep. “It seems I did.”

“Is there an emergency?”

“No. I couldn't get in touch with you through your phone, so I thought I would come over to talk to you in person.”

“Did the agency make a decision?”

“As expected, you threatening to go on hiatus made them reconsider their push to include Yukine.”

“Being an idol is hard work and I already work with Maria. I don't want all three of us to be busy with events and concerts and everything. Chris still goes to school, so she should enjoy a peaceful life.”

“As peaceful as being a symphogear user permits.”

“If something happens, I will consider it you jinxing us.”

“Nothing will happen. It was already an anomaly that Carol showed up. I see you're quite tied up right now. Should I take care of these?” Reaching for the dishes, Tsubasa shook her head. “They don't want you to be around the house and do stuff. I think they see it as part of their job in exchange of living with me.”

“I do have to remind you that it must be kept a secret that the three of you are involved together.”

“I know. If your jinx comes true, we will be able to behave professionally.” Tsubasa did feel pretty full herself now. “We all need a shower but I don't want to wake them up.”

“Should I-” Ogawa stopped himself. “I just came over to inform you about the agency's decision regarding Yukine. The apartment does look a lot cleaner than I expected.”

“Everyone says I can't clean...” Tsubasa sounded like someone who was finally accepting a harsh truth. “But there are things I can do, too!”

Ogawa just stood there and looked at the smeared remains of their dinner.  _ She probably peeled the potatoes. She does know her way around the kitchen with a knife, but not much else.  _ “Then, I'll let myself out. Take care not to spend the night on the couch, you will be sore and cold all over tomorrow otherwise.”

“I'd have punched you if you let him take care of the dishes.” Chris spoke with her eyes still closed. “Why does he even have a key?”

“I'm pretty sure he'd get in even without a key… seriously, between Tsubasa's uncle, Miku and Ogawa, we're surrounded by people that are basically beyond the definition of _people_. We should get Ogawa to train Miku, she'd be able to join us even without a symphogear.”

“That idiot wouldn't be able to focus on **anything**. Just imagine Miku, with training or Shen… fuck it, I forgot the name again. Or that mirror relic. Just imagine those two strolling around, beating up noise, being so obnoxiously obvious about being a couple… they'd drive off noise, autoscorers and alchemist all the same by being too annoying to deal with.”

“You two have quite the opinion of Kohinata...” Tsubasa wasn't aware that they were looking at her like that. “She did save us by throwing Solomon's cane into the hole in the sky.”

“What was **that** about anyway? What is she made of?” Chris turned over and wished she had a blanket.

“Imagine how tough you have to be to sleep in the same bed as Hibiki every night.” Maria didn't realize what kind of comment she was making.

“Do you have nothing but lewd shit in that damn head of yours?!” Chris twisted her neck to look at Maria. “I doubt they're doing it every single night!”

“That's not what I mean! I was thinking like, Hibiki probably tosses and stuff, so you'd have to be pretty tough to not get hurt from that!”

“Nobody but you would get that interpretation!”

“Okay, no arguing about Tachibana and Kohinata.” Tsubasa covered both arguing mouths at the same time, giving both of them a stern look. “Chris, roll off. Maria, sit up. I'm going to draw a bath.” Issuing orders that neither of the other two had energy to fight, Tsubasa managed to leave the couch and made her way to their bathroom.

“She can handle that, right?” Chris laid there on the couch, looking up at Maria.

“She manages to shower without flooding the apartment, so theoretically, yes.”

“Rock paper scissors on who gets to go first?”

“You mean **has** to go first, today.”

“First comes rock-”

“We could go in together.”

“I am **not** into you, Maria! Stop being so thirsty!”

“Who- wha-!” Maria was back to blushing. “I did **not** mean it like that! If I wanted to ogle you I could do that any time we use our symphogear! Your outfit isn't hiding anything!”

“You're one to talk!”

“At least my boobs aren't on full display!”

“You ever heard of a skirt? Wear one!”

“You don't wear one either! How many times do you think I've seen your butt?”

Chris rolled over again, propping herself up on the couch with her arms. “You  **seriously** have a thing for me?”

“I don't!”

“Sounds like you do- woah!” Feeling someone's hands on her butt, Chris turned her head. “Tsubasa, what-” Chris lost her breath when Tsubasa suddenly pulled on her leg. “Okay, okay, I'll come.” _She is always so touchy about spending time in the bath since both Maria and I are the long bath type and she is the shower type._ Managing to get off the couch and on her feet without throwing up, Chris staggered towards the bathroom.

“Maria, you too. I still need to take a shower after and after the last time we all went in together I am not doing that again. My hips were killing me the entire next day.” Tsubasa was already walking towards the pink mess when said girl hurriedly got on her feet and went after Chris.

“The heck are you doing?”

“Tsubasa shoo'd me.”

“So what? I am not letting you ogle me!”

“You think I am blind when we sleep with Tsubasa or something?”

“You're supposed to look at **her**! And what the fuck are you saying?”

“Oh come on, should I remind you of who keeps saying dirty stuff when we're all in bed?”

“I'll kill you!”

Both of them vanished into the bathroom, leaving Tsubasa behind, who sat down in peace.  _ I'm glad they get along. I just wish they'd trust me a little more. I can clean! I can definitely clean! I'll show them _ !

Getting back up, determined like never before, Tsubasa grabbed the empty plate and immediately dropped one of them on the ground.  _ I definitely can clean. This is nothing. I just need to try harder! _

Maria and Chris would clean up for an hour and a half after they had finished their bath.

=== Eve of Wings and Snow ===


End file.
